


To Be Better

by thebluemagician



Series: To Resonate With You [1]
Category: Tales of Series, Tales of Symphonia, Tales of the Abyss
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Friendship, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Guy and Asch are only mentioned, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Not Beta Read, and will probably make a series out of this, asch and luke are twins, might end up as slash in the future, no one was gonna do a fic about these two precious boys so i will
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:07:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25984099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebluemagician/pseuds/thebluemagician
Summary: "You're not your brother. You don't have be just like him just to be a better person."Luke never imagined that a stranger's words would mean a lot to him. But it did.
Relationships: Lloyd Irving & Luke fon Fabre
Series: To Resonate With You [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1885894
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	To Be Better

**Author's Note:**

> \- Luke here is Long-haired Luke, by the way. Just because I have a soft spot for the absolute fecker.
> 
> -I'm a non-native english speaker. Please bear with me.

_"So, I heard Asch topped the exams on class again."_

_"What did you expect? He's a pampered child. Makes you wonder why the other twin can't be that good."_

No matter how discreet they try to be, Luke knew what they were talking about. Who else would be the lesser twin of the great _Asch fon Fabre_?

It was inevitable. Comparing him to Asch has always been a thing each time they move out onto a different school.

_'Asch is better.'_

_'Asch is the perfect child.'_

**_"Why can't you be like Asch?"_ **

His brimming thoughts were interrupted by a hand set on his shoulder, jolting him from his seat.

"You okay, Luke?" His childhood friend Natalia asked from behind him, looking concerned. "Don't listen to them."

Luke scoffs as he shrugs her hand off, turning away. "Not like I cared. Leave me alone."

Natalia has always been there for him and Asch ever since they were young. As stubborn as the blonde woman can be, she knows when to back off at least. He never needed her pity. Luke always knew that deep inside, Natalia always cared for _Asch_ more than him. He doesn't need that half hearted concern.

He's tired of it.

Luke is tired of the facade of kindness shown to him only because of his wealth. He hates the pretense of friendship his classmates try to form with him just because of his name, or just to get close to Asch.

Aside from his Mother, the only other person who really cared for him was _Guy_. Unfortunately, he had to leave a year ago to pursue college and get a degree. And as much as Luke wanted to let his friend stay, he couldn't ruin the genuine excitement that Guy has for his future. As selfish as he was, Guy gave him the companionship he never really had with others. Letting him go and watch him succeed his dreams was the least he could for his dear friend.

Too bad he couldn't form such a bond with anyone else ever since Guy left.

With the ringing of the bells on cue—signalling the start of the next class, Luke stands, packing his things as he took his leave without glancing back at Natalia's frantic calls.

Luke makes his way through the flurry of student, taking his feet to the stairs which leads him to the school roof; the only place he can be at peace from everything he hates.

Once he reaches the lone rooftop, he locks the door from behind him before making his way to the broken school chairs hidden in the corner, giving the chair a hard kick out of frustration.

"I don't need them!" Luke screams as he gives the broken chair another kick. "I don't need Natalia. I don't need Asch. **_I Don't. Need. Anyone!_** "

It took a few more kicks on the wooden chair before Luke takes a breath, panting from the anger and frustration over something he never wanted.

When will he ever be anyone other than Asch's lesser twin? When will anyone just accept him as he is?

"Who am I kidding?" Luke says dejectedly, staring down at the now splintered chair caused by his own. "Asch will always be better. No one in this school cares about who I am."

Luke takes a moment, closing his eyes as he manages his breathing just like how Guy taught him every time his temper gets the best of him. The silence and solitude of the roof helps alleviate it.

The peace was broken, however, when a voice spoke from behind him.

"Well, I don't know who _you_ are, but maybe you shouldn't put your anger on those chairs. Broken as they may be, someone worked hard on that."

Luke whips around as he finds a brunet in casual clothing leaning against the wall, watching him warily.

With a scowl, he turns to the stranger. "How long have you been there?!"

The brunet shrugs nonchalantly at the question. "Long enough to see you kick down the wooden chairs. The materials used in making it seem too nice just to be used in cooling off your steam."

"Who cares about the freaking _chair_!?"

The other boy seems affronted at the blatant disregard, crossing his arms at him with a glare. "I _care_! People worked hard to craft that, you know!"

"I have other problems than to care about a _stupid chair_ , of all things!"

The brunet straigthens himself as he stomps in Luke's space. "Then talk about it with someone! You don't have take it out on someone's hard work!"

Luke couldn't help laugh bitterly at the idea, feeling defensive. "I'm sure you heard everything I said, right? _No one cares._ Not my childhood friend. Not my better twin. Who am I suppose to talk to!?"

"If no one else will listen, then _I_ will!"

And with just those words, Luke became speechless.

It took a moment for him to observe the brunet in front of him— _who seems to be the same age as him_ —was wearing casual clothing and not the standard school uniform. An outsider?

"W-Wait, are you even from this school? Who are you?"

The stranger gauges him for bit. Once he noticed that Luke has calmed down, he replies with a shrug. "Give me your name, and I'll give you mine."

Luke blinks at the brunet's words, before he exclaims indignantly. "Hey, I asked you first! You're the one who barged in here!"

"Hey, I didn't barge in! I was here the entire time looking around the campus before you went in and started throwing a fit!"

"I-I was just venting out!"

"You were venting out on a _broken chair_! What was I suppose to think?"

Both men squared off each other with a glare. It took a moment before both men started laughing at the ridiculous situation.

The stranger turns to him with a sheepish grin, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well, fighting a stranger over a chair is not how I imagined my day would go."

Luke couldn't help but return the grin. "Me either, but it could be worse."

The brunet laughs at that as he shook his head. With a bright smile still in place, he offers a hand towards Luke. "Let's start over then. I'm Lloyd Irving. Nice to meet ya!"

He can feel the tug of his lips due to that contagious smile. He takes the warmth of the other man's hand in his. "Luke fon Fabre. Nice to meet you too, Lloyd."

Luke was worried that Lloyd might react differently upon hearing his full name, but the brunet seems indifferent about it, much to his confusion and also relief.

"Now that that's done..." Lloyd trails off as he retracts his hand, keeping both hands hidden in his hoodie. "Mind telling me what your problems are? Talking about it will help."

He couldn't help but flush in embarrassment as he remembers what started their meeting in the first place. "Nah, I'm fine now."

"Don't be like that! I did say I'll listen to you if no one else will, didn't I? And I'm not lying. My Dad says that _'lying is the first step to thievery'_." Lloyd explains with a puff of his chest; he seems proud of it. 

It took all of Luke's control to not laugh at the childish sight. But as much as he fought it off, he couldn't stop the smile that graces his lips. "Well, since you offered graciously..."

From there, Luke tells Lloyd the deep seated feelings from depths of his heart. The swirling emotions of pain and anger over something he couldn't control.

And Lloyd listens, watching him pensively as he speaks the weight that keeps his heart sunken ever since he was young.

For the first time in a long time, he felt that weight lifted from his shoulders. And while the weight isn't completely gone, he feels lighter knowing that this stranger was willing to carry some of his burdens with him.

 _"This must be what it feels like to not be alone."_ Luke thought as he finishes, looking at Lloyd hopefully.

He watches the brunet process his words, contemplating a response. Luke doesn't mind if he didn't get one in return. It already meant a lot to him that Lloyd even stayed with him just to hear him out.

But the words from Lloyd's mouth was something he didn't expect.

"You're not your brother. You don't need to be just like him to be a better person."

"W-What?" 

Lloyd looks at him in the eyes as he places both his hands on his shoulder. "You're _you_ , Luke. Your choices are _yours_. Your actions are _yours_. If you do bad to _feel_ better, then they're your choice. If you do good to _do_ better, then they're yours and yours alone. Don't just base on society's standards on who or what is better. Only you can decide, Luke. No one else."

Luke opens his mouth, the words become strained with emotion as he can feel the tears welling in his eyes. "W-What if I can't decide? What if being like my brother is the only choice?"

With a reassuring squeezing on his shoulders, Lloyd smiles brightly like a sun weaving through the darkened clouds. "Then we'll find another way until we can find a path that feels like yours. I'll be staying, Luke. I'll help you find it. You don't have to do it alone. I know you'll find it one day. I believe in you."

Luke looks away from Lloyd's earnest gaze, trying to blink away the tears that threaten fall from his eyes. The words resonated with him like nothing else did. It was hard to believe that a stranger he only just met could see all through the tangled mess of his emotions.

With the tears gone from his eyes, he looks back at Lloyd—his gaze determined with a warmth of a reawakened flame in his chest.

And as if Lloyd could see his new found fire, the brunet stares back with a pride that was meant for Luke.

He clears his throat, before giving the brunet a genuine, warm smile. "Thanks, Lloyd." 

_"I barely know you, but it means the world to me."_ He left unsaid. But he had a feeling Lloyd knew.

A megawatt grin graces Lloyd's lips; a warm expression that's on par with the sun's brightest light. "No problem! That's what friends are for, right?"

It took a moment to process the other man's words. Upon realization, Luke's eyes widen in disbelief. Did he just hear that right? "... _Friends_?"

It was Lloyd's turn to look embarrassed, laughing nervously after realizing what he blurted out. "Uh, well, I'll be starting school here tomorrow and I just thought we could be friends, you know? Only if that's—"

"— _Fine_! It's fine. I'd like that a lot." Luke says with a flush, scratching the side of his reddened cheeks. "L-Let's be friends."

Another bright grin graces Lloyd's lips as the brunet puts an arm around his shoulder, feeling the warmth of a friend on his side. It makes his heart feel a flutter something he never felt before. He doesn't know what it is, but he knows that he's giddy— _happy_ to be Lloyd's friend.

As they take their leave, Luke feels like he'll be leaving behind something else too. Something heavy. A weight he never wanted to carry.

Now, he brought something else. Something _lighter_ , something _new_ , along with a boy who can personify the sun's warmth by his side.

For the first time in a long time, Luke can't wait to carve a path that he can finally call his _own_.

**Author's Note:**

> No one was gonna do it so I wrote this for myself. I love these two precious boys a lot, and their interactions in crossover Tales games are really adorable. The potential is there.
> 
> If you stumbled upon this fic, well, I hope you like it.


End file.
